Authorities in charge of COVID rules compliance said they are investigating a serial mask scofflaw for yet again roaming the streets bare-faced.
The Singapore Tourism Board yesterday told reporters that it was looking into former COVID convict Phoon Chiu Yoke, 54, after she was spotted Sunday on Orchard Road without a mask.
The incident was captured on camera by Wendy Cheng, aka Xiaxue, who was interviewing people on the street outside the Mandarin Gallery.
Phoon, who is a retired navy major, was dubbed the “badge lady” after a video of her demanding to see the badge of a safe distancing officer at Marina Bay Sands went viral in May. She had violated COVID-19 measures from as early as May 2020 when she was reported maskless at Newton Food Centre and the Mandarin Orchard hotel.
She was jailed 16 weeks after pleading guilty to nine charges of violating COVID rules in September, where she also refused to wear her mask when arriving at the court and removed it after she left.
According to Cheng’s post on Sunday, Phoon “ignored” and “glared” at her when asked if she could be interviewed, but walked past her crew soon after nonchalantly. Cheng thinks she wants attention.
“I think she’s just walking around Orchard without a mask [because] she purposely wanna have people film her!! If not why [was] she wearing her distinctive sunglasses just walking around aimlessly right or not?” Cheng wrote.
Cheng declined to comment. The Board has responded to messages seeking comment.
The Board said they would “not hesitate” to prosecute Phoon again.
If found guilty, repeat offenders can be jailed up to a year and fined S$20,000.
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